[MEncoder-users] Why Mencoder's mpeg output can not be

[Giacomo Comes]

On Sat, Nov 18, 2006 at 01:12:20PM -0800, DD DD wrote:
> Is there any way that we can encode a video to a (avi / mpeg / wmv) format
> on linux that will play on a freshly installed windows XP box? (without
> needing to install ffdshow, etc). It works when ffdshow is installed, but
> was hoping for a more 'supported' codec.
> 
> I tried the options given in documentation (and this email thread), and they
> don't seem to work :(.

Is it possible to make an mpeg using only mencoder that will play
on a freshly installed windows XP box, but the correct command line is not documented anywere.

The mpeg video has to be an mpeg1 video. The mplayer documentation has examples
on how to make VCD mpeg with mencoder, but unfortunately such mpeg wont play
with the windows player without installing some extra software/codec.

The reason is that the mplayer's mpeg muxer does not mux to a standard VCD format,
but to a XVCD. In the past the solution was to remux audio and video
with mplex. After the remuxing you are able to play the mpeg with fresh windows.

Since the introduction of the libavformat muxer it is now possible to create 
the requested mpeg using only mencoder.

Example command line:

mencoder -of lavf -lavfopts format=mpg:i_certify_that_my_video_stream_does_not_use_b_frames -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg1video:vrc_buf_size=327:keyint=15:vrc_maxrate=1152:vbitrate=1152:vmax_b_frames=0 -o VCD.mpg -ofps 25 -vf scale=352:288,harddup -oac lavc -lavcopts acodec=mp2:abitrate=224 sourcevideo.ext

The parameters vrc_buf_size, keyint, vrc_maxrate and vbitrate
in the example have typical VCD values, but the software player
can deal with much bigger values. The resolution also can be
as big as the DVD resolution.

Guillaiume, you may want to add such command line in the documentation
because this is a recurring question.

Giacomo